The Role of Assassination in Israeli History

clipped from mondoweiss.observer.com Bang-Bang, You're Rightwing! The Role of Assassination in Israeli History FILE UNDER: Politics, Culture, U.S. Policy in the Mideast Add up Assassinations 1, 2, and 3, and what do you get? Well, you get a polity that has established a clear line in the sand about moderation. When powerful moderates arise, ka-boom. Everyone talks about extremist violence in the Arab world, and with good reason. Lately, Syria has become a pariah state in part because of its alleged role in the Hariri assassination in Beirut in 2005. But what about the 1,2,3 Israeli assassinations? Yitzhak Shamir becomes Prime Minister of Israel a few decades after he orders a political murder of a key moderate and the U.S. doesn't say a word. Arlosoroff is forever mourned by doves (and Menachem Begin tries and fails to put the matter to rest in the 80s), without anyone in the U.S. ever hearing about the dude. And today many in Israel believe that Rabin's assassin did a good thing, and should be released from prison!

Dead Man Walking P.M. to avoid police on corruption?

clipped from www.cjp.org Tel Aviv (dpa) - Israeli police are recommending indicting senior officials, including a former top aide of Premier Ehud Olmert, on suspicion of receiving bribes to award tax breaks and appoint people to positions within the Tax Authority, Israeli media reported Monday. The possible indictment caps a months-long investigation into Shula Zaken, Olmert's former bureau chief, Israel Tax Authority Director Jacky Matza, and about 20 other senior officials and businessmen. Tax Authority appointments - including that of Matza himself - had been influenced by powerful businessmen. Zaken was Olmert's secretary when he served as finance minister the beleaguered premier faces probes on several other fronts, including allegations that when serving as finance minister in a previous government he had changed the conditions for the privatization of a bank to favour of business friends. Since taking office last year, Olmert's government has been hit by a slew of scandals

MAY FIRST 2007 Recall the Predictions

Virtual predictions of the present situation made on MAY FIRST 2007 made by Hamas in the Jerusalem Post.

May. 1, 2007 22:51

"It's possible that Olmert will try to evade responsibility for Israel's defeat in Lebanon by waging war on the Gaza Strip," PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas told reporters in Gaza City. "Olmert is facing a serious crisis and this could be his way to salvage himself."

"President Abbas is very interested in the latest developments in Israel," he added. "He is concerned that the crisis will negatively affect the peace process. We are also concerned that Olmert might embark on a military adventure in the Gaza Strip to cover up for his failure."

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip said they did not rule out the possibility that Israel would try to compensate for its "defeat" in Lebanon by "stepping up its military aggression" against the Palestinians.

This is the first time that Israel openly admits that it was defeated in war," he said. "The war against Lebanon was completely unjustified

"The Israeli government has been taken hostage by Israeli extremists like Avigdo

clipped from www.jpost.com

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